My friend, Betsy, does this thing called "The Great List" once-a-week or so:
What's beautiful about this weekly list, is that it forces you to concentrate on what you are happy about and thankful for in your life. For Betsy, I would guess this just comes naturally. I haven't seen her in a while, but I remember her laughter as being absolutely contagious. For the rest of us, I think, this can be a tough endeavor.
A while ago, I had the idea for my husband and I to think of 5 things to thank each other for before going to sleep at night. I think all couples should do this. It can be as simple as, "Thanks for doing the dishes today," or "Thanks for letting me complain to you about work today." The key to a great marriage, perhaps, is never taking one another for granted. The key to a great life, as Betsy points out with her list, is taking nothing for granted.
With that in mind, here goes:
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1. I took three days off to go camping this week. We had incredible weather, heard a cacophony of birds (saw a woodpecker up-close! then scared it away with my camera lens), met a few chipmunks, sat around the fire, and saw that beautiful moon. Say it with me: "Cacophony."
2. The Ultimate Autumn Cupcake came into fruition in my kitchen this week. Still needs a couple of minor tweaks, but, ladies & gents, I wish I could bake one for each of you and hand-deliver it to your door. Pumpkin cake with apple pie filling, topped with cream cheese frosting and a caramel drizzle.
3. Seeing old friends! I have to tell you, I am always anxious to see friends when it has been a long time. What if they don't remember me? What if they are too cool for me? So, when we headed over to the Metro to see our friends Murder By Death, you can imagine the silly ideas running through my head. We didn't get to spend enough time together, but it was better than ever to hear their new songs, bear-hug them, catch-up a little, and remember how much we love each other. I know so many good people – I really am lucky, that way.
4. On a seriously thankful note, my father-in-law, Wally, triumphed over yet another heart surgery yesterday. This is only weeks after grandpa-in-law did the same. Thank you, amazing doctors!
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That's my great list! Let's start a craze!
